Arizona Aerospace Insitute

Mesa aerospace institute ready for liftoff | Mesa Arizona News – Mesa News – Mesa AZ news | eastvalleytribune.com

I hope this is successful because Arizona is doomed to perpetual mediocrity so long as our state economy is focused on tourism and service industries with their inherent low wages for workers instead of being focused on science, technology, and manufacturing industry to create well paying jobs. This is perhaps a step in that direction.

Science and Space News Bits

‘Trash Can’ Nuclear Reactors Could Power Human Outpost On Moon Or Mars

New Aluminum-water Rocket Propellant Promising For Future Space Missions

Researchers are developing a new type of rocket propellant made of a frozen mixture of water and “nanoscale aluminum” powder that is more environmentally friendly than conventional propellants and could be manufactured on the moon, Mars and other water-bearing bodies.

.:: Boeing Sends Layoff Notices To 130 Employees ::.

Asteroid Is Actually A Protoplanet, Study Of First High-resolution Images Of Pallas Confirms

Giffords (D-Az) Supports Robust NASA budget

Subcommittee Chairwoman Cites Need for “Robust” NASA Budget | International Space Fellowship

NASA in my opinion has begun to lag behind in recent years and in some ways perhaps regressed technologically. Whether this is due to political pressure or financial concerns the end result is the same: an organization that has become resistant to new approaches and ideas presented by the latest generation of engineers. As of yet it remains unclear how NASA will progress regardless of their funding situation. Will they continue with business as usual that has even the most ardent space exploring supporters bemused or will they realize working cooperatively with private entrepreneurs in developing commercial space flight?

Aircraft Database

AIRFRAMES.ORG – Aircraft Database – An aircraft registration database lookup.

Woe to the Republic 3: Raptor down

Today the Senate voted to cut funding for the F-22 Raptor. Per norm, the corrupt officials of Congress and Administration used numerous excuses to try to effectively kill the program rather than admit they are intentionally harming both the United States military along with American workers and industries for political purposes.

Daily Space: Apollo Lunar Module

LM Illustration (courtesy of NASA)

Brief Specifications:

Crew: 2
Weight: Empty: 8650 lbs (3920 kg)
Height: 20.9 ft (6.37 m)
Diameter: 14 ft (4.27 m)
Landing Gear Span: 29.75 ft (9.07 m)
Volume: 235 ft^3 (6.65 m^3)
Fuel: UDMH* and Hydrazine (known as Aerozine 50)
Oxidizer: Nitrogen Tetroxide
Power: 28 V DC, 115 V 400 Hz AC
Built By: Grumman Aerospace Corporation

*(UDMH = Unsymmetrical Dimethyl Hydrazine)

40 Years Ago Today

Aldrin Apollo 11 (Image via NASA)

Here’s hoping we get that adventurous, enterprising spirit back in America.

Thoughts to counter the “Plan”

Obama’s new story on government health care | WmWms

Notice the shift? It appears Obama would like us to believe that there is a meaningful distinction between the government directly forcing you out of your current health care coverage, and the government financially incentivizing your employer to force you out of your current health care coverage.

Be sure to read the entire post and associated articles. Nice catch. Too bad it seems some don’t see anything wrong with incentivizing employers to force employees onto government rolls. So much for choice. I like the nickname for the impending fiasco: ObamaCare.

Keep the debate simple : Opinion : Ventura County Star A nice, clear concise opinion piece that nicely sums up my own opinions and opposition to the Obama health care “reforms”.

Personally I am exceptionally pleased that Arizona’s member of the Obama panel, Kyrsten Sinema, rejects the proposed Obama Health Plan. And this being from Sinema, who actually likes the idea of a national program. She at least gets that she is there to act on the behalf of the will of her constituents, not the national party wanna-be dictators or even the President.

Hey even the Green Party rejects Obama’s health care plans. Why? Because it isn’t socialist enough for them because it leaves the private insurance companies in place. How positively communist of them.

Greens reject the ‘public health care option’ promoted by many Democratic politicians and pro-Democrat liberal groups, since a public option will leave the private health insurance industry intact and not curb the current inefficiencies and soaring costs of health care.

Their stance is amusing when you look at the proposed legislation and whatnot. Guess what? There’s no curb for inefficiencies and soaring costs regardless of a government only insurance or not. There’s not even such cost saving measures in the very system they want established. But then the Greens rarely deal with facts, in my experience.

The faults in the health care system need to be addressed methodically and without favoritism for one group, ideaology, or socio-political agenda over another. First, costs and the reasons for those costs (i.e. aging populace, obesity, poor lifestyles, lack of exercise, unemployment, low wages, et al). Second, ineffeciencies and the reasons for those ineffeciencies (lack of access to medical information, lack of medical personnel, lack of medical facilities and clinics, Pharma companies, government laws and redtape, lack of generics, frivolous malpractice suits and the resulting insurance rates, et al). Deal with those two primary reasons for health care expenses and you’ll likely deal with the entire problem. Stripping away the free market facade in favor of a government facade does nothing to address the underlying systemic problem.

Science News

Articles that caught my attention:

Martian Lightning / Science News

LRO Achieves Lunar Orbit:: Aero-News Network::. (more info: http://www.nasa.gov/lro)

.:: Staying In Space Harder Than It Sounds : Aero-News Network::.

Tech Reading: Spacecraft Structures

From Welcome to Space Structures Laboratory I’ve been browsing through their research thesis particularly those involving design, health monitoring, and deformation of spacecraft structures. (See Introduction)